The Crown

Netflix’s beautifully crafted Queen Elizabeth II series is costume drama at its most lush and addictive.

- Daniel J. Fienberg

When it comes to portraying the brutal pursuit of power, few shows are as riveting as HBO’s Game of Thrones. But for a vivid, if not nearly as sexy or bloody, look at the process and protocol of actually ruling, Netflix’s new series The Crown is the one to watch.

Peter Morgan’s chronicle of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II is consistently gripping through the entire first season — all 10 hour long episodes were available to critics in advance — finding emotional heft in Elizabeth’s ascension and suspense in matters of courtly etiquette. Led by a star-making performance from Claire Foy (Wolf Hall) and backed by an ensemble primed to fill Emmy categories, The Crown surely marks Netflix’s strongest push to date into the realm of prestige drama. Six seasons are planned, with each 10-episode chapter covering about a decade.